The Final Breath
by IrishMaiden
Summary: Hermione has just graduated from Hogwarts, is settling in 12 Grimmauld Place with Harry and Ron, and is preparing for the final assault of the Dark Lord. But an enemy has entered the tight circle of the Order and is threatening to destroy them all.
1. Default Chapter

**The Final Breath  
  
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Guest  
**  
**Disclaimer:** To all who care to read- I do not own Harry Potter or any of JK Rowling's characters, and if I did I would be bathing in a Jacuzzi, counting my Franklin's, and sipping on a strawberry daiquiri while a cabana boy fanned me. Alas, I am not doing that therefore I don't own Harry Potter.  
  
**A/N:** Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy my fic! It's my first one so feel free to comment on my work and such. I want to make it really great so go ahead and review!  
  
"Voldemort," Hermione cringed as Harry said the name. "What should we do? He's gathered his Death-Eaters and is ready to attack, and we're sitting here waiting for information from the other members. We're part of the Order now! We should know what's happening!"  
  
Hermione shrugged, running her hands through her chestnut brown hair.  
  
"We're just going to have to wait Harry. Dumbledore hasn't been around lately, so the Order can't let us have any information because they haven't got it themselves."  
  
"But they don't tell us anything!" Harry whined. Hermione sighed, sometimes Harry could be so childish.  
  
After graduation Ron, Harry, and Hermione moved into 12 Grimmauld Place and were immediately made members of the Order of the Phoenix. Since they were the youngest members of the Order, Dumbledore seemed reluctant to give them any dangerous responsibilities. All the trio seemed to do now was exterminate boggarts and doxies in the infested rooms of the Black household.

Hermione surveyed her drab, gray bedroom and sighed. She was tired of just sitting around waiting for the action to start. They looked up as Ron popped his head through the door.  
  
"Harry, Hermione! Meeting downstairs! I think they've got a plan!" Harry's face lit up as he ran out of the room whooping down the stairs with Ron. Hermione stood, stretching.  
  
"Boys," she breathed.

Down in the kitchen Mrs. Weasley was serving tea to a quiet group of Order members. Crowded around the table was Mr. Weasley, Remus, Bill, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, and, of course, Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Sitting in the corner, away from the rest, were Mungundus and Snape. Hermione peeked over her shoulder smiling inwardly as Mungundus described a serious "business proposition" which was obviously making Snape uncomfortable. Hermione turned back, concentrating on the members surrounding the table. She studied Tonks, Moody, and Remus searching their faces for answers. They all looked down trying not to meet her glaring gaze.  
  
_Something fishy's going on_, Hermione thought to herself. Remus shifted uncomfortably in his seat, while Tonks changed her hair from green to pink trying to amuse herself. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat loudly, glimpsing at Bill and then smiling sheepishly across the table at Ron. Mrs. Weasley tried to carry on a light conversation with Kingsley but her voice was full of tension and what seemed to be a note of worry.  
  
"What's going on? Do you have a plan to defeat Voldemort?" Harry questioned Lupin abruptly, breaking the stifling silence and making Mrs. Weasley gasp. Remus looked apprehensively at Moody and Tonks, willing them to speak first.  
  
"Look Potter," Snape snarled slowly rising from his seat in the corner. "A valuable new asset has joined the Order and we all know you won't approve of him. Not that it matters what an arrogant brat like the famous Mr. Potter thinks."  
  
"Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, as he opened his mouth to retort, "what Professor Snape is trying to say is that..." The doorbell rang loudly interrupting her. Remus and Moody exchanged hurried glances as Harry, Hermione, and Ron made a mad dash to the door, seeing who could get there first.  
  
"Guys wait!" Tonks cried, trying to stop them. Pushing Harry roughly out of the way, Hermione reached the door wrenching it open with a yell of triumph. Standing there was a familiar face.  
  
"Dumbledore!" shouted Ron and Harry together jubilantly reaching for the Headmaster. "Where have you been?"  
  
"Wait," said the old wizard calmly, gently pushing them back. "I'd like you to meet the newest member of the Order," Dumbledore motioned to a tall, muscled young man to step into view. "Now don't be alarmed." Ron's eyes widened as the new "asset" came into sight, leaning casually against the doorframe. Harry froze, a big O plastered onto his face, as Hermione produced a wand from the folds of her robe, pointing it at the invader's head while hissing viciously through clenched teeth.  
  
"MALFOY!"  
  
**A/N:** Hey! I hoped everyone liked it. Sorry it's so short. But I wanted to get the ball rolling. The next chapter will be coming out in a couple days. Don't forget to review! Review Review Review! Thankee and Bye!


	2. The Stand Off

**The Final Breath  
  
Chapter 1: The Stand Off**  
  
**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Harry Potter...sob...  
  
**A/N:** Hiya! I just wanted to say I really messed the 1st chapter's format up. I didn't enter at some places when characters spoke, etc, etc. I was trying to learn how the Quick Edit worked but I just couldn't get it. Thus, the mess. I figured out how to do it right on this chapter so hopefully it isn't as bad. Au revoir and enjoy!

"Put the wand down, Granger," Draco snarled, as a smirk spread across his face.  
  
"Get back!" Hermione yelled, taking a step closer. "Don't make me hurt you!"  
  
"Go ahead," he said, pulling his wand slowly out of his robe's pocket.  
  
"Hermione please," Dumbledore said calmly, stepping between them. "Draco is a guest here. You are not to harm him."  
  
"But...but...he's a servant of the Dark Lord!" Hermione stammered, pleading with her eyes. "You're putting the entire Order at risk by letting him come here!"  
  
"Hermione! Put your wand _down_!" Tonks said, as she came up and placed a firm hand on her trembling arm. Hermione looked back to see that Harry and Ron were being restrained by Moody and Mr. Weasley.  
  
"You heard what Dumbledore said. Draco is a guest of the Order now and you have to treat him with some consideration." Glaring one last time into the icy gray eyes of her enemy she lowered her wand and allowed herself to be guided towards her bedroom. _How could Dumbledore do this!_ Hermione stormed, pacing back and forth in her room an hour later. _Everyone knows that stupid git has hated us from the beginning! He practically served Voldemort when he was in Hogwarts! He could already be a Death Eater! Malfoy is one of our greatest enemies and now he knows exactly where to strike us!  
  
_Flinging herself across the small bed, Hermione dug her face into a pillow. She could hear the muffled voices in the rooms below, no doubt discussing the issue of Draco and Hermione being together in the same house (not to mention Ron and Harry too). She turned to face the wall, as she thought about the danger that lurked just under her feet.  
  
_I have to know what's going on down there,_ she thought, jumping up and heading towards the center of the room. Shoving a threadbare rug out of the way, Hermione pried up a loose floorboard and selected a worn, velvet bag. She pulled out a thin, flesh-colored string.  
  
"Extendable Ears," she murmured, as a smile spread across her face. "Thank you Fred and George."  
  
Hermione quietly opened her bedroom door and crept down the hallway. She paused abruptly as she heard a thud and some incoherent muttering coming from a room down the hall.  
  
_Don't worry Harry,_ she thought as she looked towards the room._ Malfoy won't get away with this_. Stopping at the top of the staircase she attached the string to her ear, which immediately started to snake down the staircase and into the living room.  
  
"Draco, you'll be sleeping upstairs in the bedroom next to Hermione's," she heard, as Remus's voice became clear. "Your trunk will be brought in and you can get settled later tonight. The bathroom is at the far end of the hallway on the left, and you might want to avoid Harry and Ron's room, which is just across the hall."  
  
Hermione willed the Ear to move into the kitchen, where Moody and Dumbledore were discussing the situation.  
  
"I can understand her reaction," Moody stated. "Hermione has never trusted Draco, and for good reason. His father has been in league with the Dark Lord for as long as anyone can remember. It's just logical for the son to follow in the father's footsteps."  
  
"I would have agreed with her, if Draco had not come to me the way he did," Dumbledore said. "He allowed me to use Veritaserum to make sure he was telling the truth. Draco has deserted Lucius and, undoubtedly, decided to aid us. He is an invaluable asset who will be crucial in the destruction of Voldemort."  
  
"Try telling that to them," Moody remarked.  
  
Hermione gave the string a tug and the Extendable Ear came slowly back to her. She sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples in a circular motion.  
  
"Well fancy this!" Hermione looked up to see Draco staring down at her. "What are you doing Granger?" he asked, as she leaped up from the floor. "Please, don't move. Stay on the ground, where you belong."  
  
"Shove off it, Malfoy!" she said, reaching into her robes for her wand.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," smirked Draco. "Remember, you have to treat me with _some consideration!_" Hermione reluctantly released her wand back into her pocket, as he roughly shoved past her, heading towards his bedroom.  
  
"Filthy mudblood." She heard him mutter, as the door slammed shut behind him.  
  
**A/N: Ooooooooo...meanie. Okay! I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to review!  
  
Oh and...  
**  
**Eyes of Emerald:** Yay! My first reviewer! I love you forever and ever and ever...  
  
**sugaronstrawberries:** Yay! My second reviewer! I'm so happy! Thank you for saying such nice things! You make me blush! And thanks for mentioning my mistake. I fixed it in the second chapter.  
  
**Loadsofwaffle:** Thanks Kaycee! Dude, you're so funky!  
  
**Aerandir:** You're so great! I love love love you! Thankee so much!  
  
**Magical Muggle:** Yipeee! My 5th reviewer! I love ya bunches!! Thanks and I'm glad you like it! Don't you think Draco is a nice little twist? 


	3. Attack of the SnitchO's

**The Final Breath  
  
Chapter 3: Attack of the Snitch-O's  
  
Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will.  
  
**A/N:** Hi! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, keep on! I love getting reviews and it doesn't take much effort to do so. Just push that little button at the bottom. Oh, and thanks to **Aerandir **for thinking up the name, Snitch-O's. I just wouldn't have a name for that funky cereal if it wasn't for her. Thankee. And...I really like this chapter. It's my fav. so far, so enjoy! (pleeeeeeeeease don't forget to review!)  
  
Hermione slowly opened her eyes to a sun-lit room. Sitting up, she stretched her neck and back, trying to wake up. Lying against the headboard of her bed she sighed, reluctant to begin a new day.  
  
_Just fantastic_, she thought, as she dragged herself from the warm blankets and put on a pair of shorts and slippers. _Another fun filled day with the one and only Draco Malfoy.  
_  
Grabbing a towel and her toothbrush, Hermione stomped out of the room and into the bathroom. She quickly brushed her teeth and jumped into the shower.  
  
Five minutes later she stepped out and wrapped a fluffy towel around her wet figure. Hermione angrily combed out the snarls in her hair and was about to slip into her clothes when a sleepy-eyed Draco stumbled into the bathroom. His face filled with shock at the sight of Hermione in only a towel.  
  
"Granger! What the..."  
  
"GET OUT!" Hermione shrieked, as a horrible rage filled her face.  
  
"I didn't mean it," Draco said as covered his eyes and dashed out of the room.  
  
"PERVERT!" she screamed. Draco flew into his room and slammed the door. Leaning back against it, he shook his head trying to rid himself of the image of Hermione in only a...  
  
_I hope I never see **that** again,_ he thought to himself.

###  
  
Down in the kitchen, Hermione sat eating a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, her favorite muggle cereal.  
  
_That Malfoy!_ she thought, as she shoved another spoonful into her mouth. _When I get my hands on him...  
_  
Just then the kitchen door swung open. Hermione looked up as Draco walked in. He sped past her, trying not to make eye contact. Opening the refrigerator door, he grabbed a carton of milk and then went to the pantry and selected a box ofSnitch-O's. He looked around for a seat and reluctantly sat across from Hermione when he couldn't find an alternative. Still not looking at her, he poured some milk into his bowl and looked down at the cereal. It was giggling at him.  
  
_Enchanted food,_ Draco thought, as he rolled his eyes. The little snitch- shaped pieces started swimming around in the puddle of milk, and a couple began to laugh uproariously. Draco made a face, shaking his head at the obnoxious cereal.  
  
"They think you look funny," Hermione said harshly.  
  
Draco glanced up, and saw that she was trying not to laugh herself. Scooping up a spoonful, he went to put it in his mouth.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh! AHHHHHHHH!" The cereal screamed frantically. He looked down at his spoon in alarm, as the snitches leaped off of it and back into the bowl. His mouth dropped as the marshmallow pieces started to grumble angrily. All of a sudden one flew out of the bowl hitting him squarely on the nose.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Draco exclaimed, as a barrage of livid snitches started to attack his face. "Stop it!" he yelled desperately.  
  
"Hahaha...hahaha," Hermione burst, at the sight of Draco trying to beat off the minuscule assailants.  
  
"Shut up Granger! Ow! My eye!"  
  
"Can't....breath...haha!" Hermione managed to wheeze, as she fell off her chair and started rolling on the ground  
  
"I said, SHUT UP!" Draco roared, unable to stop the assault.  
  
Just then Lupin staggered sleepily into the kitchen. He was brought to a standstill at the sight of Hermione losing control on the floor and Draco looking like he would leap for her throat, as miniature snitches attempted to flog him  
  
"What's happening?" Remus asked groggily, as he took a step closer to the strange scene.  
  
"Nothing!" Draco stormed, pushing past Remus and batting at the remaining snitches. "Absolutely nothing!" he yelled as he burst out of the kitchen.  
  
"What's happening?" Remus asked again, as he rubbed his eyes, trying to comprehend the situation. Hermione made some wild hand gestures in the air and kept pointing at Draco's bowl as she attempted to control herself.  
  
###  
  
_That insolent, dimwitted, idiotic, prat..._ Draco stormed around his room. _Why the hell didn't she warn me about that damned cereal?! She is so infuriating!   
_  
"Arrgg!" he yelled to the walls of his room. Leaning back against the footboard of his bed, he slid down it until he reached the floor.  
  
_She'll live to regret this,_ he thought. _My father will make sure she never humiliates a Malfoy like this again.  
_  
Draco closed his eyes and thought of what had taken place inside the Malfoy Manor just a few, short weeks ago...  
  
"You are to go to Dumbledore," Lucius instructed. "You're to tell him you have left the service of Voldemort and that you wish to fight against evil and dark magic. Offer to take Veritserum to prove you're telling the truth"  
  
"But father," Draco replied, "Veritserum will make me tell everything. Dumbledore will...  
  
"I want you to take this," Lucius interrupted, handing him a small vile filled with a black liquid. "It is called Deliteserum. It will counteract the effects of the Veritserum and you will be able to lie. Take it before you meet with Dumbledore."  
  
"Yes father," Draco said obediently.  
  
"Once you gain his trust I want you to join him. Become a member of his team. I want you to relay information back to me describing Dumbledore's plans of attack, how many wizards he has, and how much he knows about us. I want you to corrupt from the inside. You need to do this for me."  
  
"Of course," Draco replied. "I won't let you down."  
  
"Good," Lucius said. "After you accomplish this task you will become an honored and feared servant of the Dark Lord. If your mission should end in failure there will be severe consequences." Draco nodded. Looking up he cringed, as his father's glaring stare bore into him.  
  
"You will not, under any circumstances, disappoint me."  
  
###  
  
She will pay. Draco thought as he stood up and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill from his trunk.  
  
**Father, **

**Send a servant to meet me outside of the Leaky Cauldron on October 8th at 2:00 A.M. I have information concerning the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
Draco**  
  
Folding the parchment and attaching it to the leg of his tawny owl, Draco applied a Sealing Charm to the letter. The only person able to open it now, would be Lucius. He leaned back against the wall thinking of his sweet revenge.  
  
He was brought back to reality by a knock at the door.  
  
"What is it?" he asked, his voice filled with annoyance. Ron stuck his head into the room.  
  
"There's a meeting downstairs in the kitchen," he said, looking at Draco with disgust.  
  
"Fine Weasley," Malfoy replied bluntly. "I'll be down in a moment."  
  
After Ron left, Draco pulled on a clean t-shirt and jeans and headed downstairs.  
  
**A/N:** Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Please review! Your opinions are highly appreciated! Thanks.


	4. Training Sessions

**The Final Breath**

**Chapter 4:** Training Sessions  
  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own the works of J.K. Rowling. And I never will...sob...  
  
**A/N:** Okay, Yeah. I know I haven't written in what, two months! Oopsie! There's a good reason. First I had final exams (which a did pretty good on. Brag brag. Lol!) and then there was my 2 week vacation right after exams (lots of fun!) and then all through that time my computer was seriously down w/ a virus! ): It just got back to working (after a month and a half!) and I decided to catch up on the story. I'm really sorry that I haven't been writing and I hope I haven't caused too much of an inconvenience to anyone who was reading. Okie Dokie. Oh, yeah. I forgot. Anyone who wants to know more about Deliteserum and where it comes from, and how Dumbledore didn't know about it, then contact me email style. And thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chappie and thanks to everyone who's gonna review this one! Alrighty, back to the story.

Draco sauntered down the stairs slowly, and opened the door to a near empty kitchen, containing only Ron, Harry, Hermione, and the Headmaster. Heads turned, and Dumbledore looked up as he came in.  
  
"Hello Draco," he said pleasantly. "I was just discussing a possible plan of a counteroffensive with Harry. Have a seat and we can start the meeting."  
  
Draco looked around the room and reluctantly sat down across from Hermione when he couldn't find a seat...again. She stared fixedly at him, and on either side of her were Ron and Harry, also glaring at the tall, platinum blond young man. Draco looked icily back into Hermione's eyes, trying to burn an imaginary hole through her head. Clearing his throat, Dumbledore hesitated before speaking.  
  
"I've discovered a way for the four of you to be active in the Order," he started. "You'll be infiltrating key areas and collecting information and data that will aid the Order before a counteroffensive is made. It's like spying..." he said, after seeing a quizzical look on Ron's face.  
  
_Sounds exactly like the conversation I had with my father,_ Draco thought.  
  
"Good!" Ron said excitedly. "When do we start?"  
  
"As soon as possible," Dumbledore said. "But before I send you into the field, the four of you," he looked around at the teenagers, "need to learn how to work together. Draco needs to be prepared in the field. You all need to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Spying is extremely dangerous, and I will not allow any room for error. Team practices will, therefore, start without delay. You will apply your dueling and problem- solving skills in artificial training programs in either groups of two's or four's. The first session begins today at 3:00 and will be conducted by Minerva. Meet down here at that time, and she will take you to the training area."  
  
"So we aren't allowed to fight until we get along with _him_?" Ron asked, glancing at Draco.  
  
"I'm afraid so Ron," Dumbledore said.  
  
"But...Dumbledore," Harry protested weakly.  
  
"I know it doesn't sound fair, Harry," Dumbledore said patiently. "I know that you've more then proven yourself, but I want all of you to be more than prepared when the end comes. Voldemort is after you, Harry, and now, he'll be after Draco too. I'm not going to throw your lives away just because I put you into combat too early."  
  
Dumbledore looked around at the angry faces and hesitated before he went on.  
  
"And now I'm brought to say something I don't particularly like. I've also decided, that until you've passed you're training...you'll be confined to the house unless accompanied by an adult member of the Order."  
  
Four heads looked up sharply, and disbelief crowded their faces.  
  
"It's for your own safety."  
  
"It's like prison," Harry muttered.  
  
"So...we're stuck here?" Hermione asked incredulously.  
  
"Yeah, Granger," Draco said roughly, feeling anger and annoyance well up inside of him. Who did Dumbledore think he was, keeping him a captive! "He just said it, or can't you understand the big words he used?!"  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron growled between clenched teeth.  
  
"What are you going to do, Weasley," Draco shot at him. "Beat me up for insulting you're girlfriend?"  
  
"Don't mess with me Malfoy."  
  
"A twit like you is too chicken to do anything."  
  
"I'm gonna pound you..."  
  
"Ron," Hermione said pleadingly, grabbing his sleeve. "Just leave it. I don't care."  
  
"But...Hermione..."  
  
"Just leave it."  
  
Ron grumbled angrily, and shifted in his seat, sending a fiery glare in Draco's direction.  
  
"Ron, Draco," Dumbledore said impatiently, still holding his wand which he had pulled out in case the fighting got ugly. "What a wonderful display of immaturity. You're both out of Hogwarts and petty fighting won't solve anything. I have no room in the Order for bickering and quarreling," he sighed and rubbed his forehead dejectedly. "Why don't you all go to your rooms and rest up before the training session. Lunch will be served in an hour and then we can begin the practice."  
  
Draco stood up quickly and strode furiously up the stairs, followed closely by Hermione, Ron, and Harry. He stomped into his room and slammed his door loudly.  
  
_So, I'll be spying for the people I'm spying on_, he thought, smirking to himself. _This is going to get confusing.  
_  
**A/N:** I know it's not long, don't worry other chappies will be a million pages in length. (: Please RR. 


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